6 Odd Facts About NYC Not Even New Yorkers Know!

America’s favorite city is home to some of the most interesting places, people, and activities you’ll ever see! After all, New York City is one of the world’s most iconic cities for a reason. A city full of iconic landmarks, having the densest population of any American city, and possessing such a rich history is bound to have a few weird facts that not even its own inhabitants know. Our list of odd facts mixed of history, cultural facts, and strange stories will make your New York travel more fun!

The Disappearance of Hog Island

America’s favorite city is home to some of the most interesting places, people, and activities you’ll ever see! After all, New York City is one of the world’s most iconic cities for a reason. A city full of iconic landmarks, having the densest population of any American city, and possessing such a rich history is bound to have a few weird facts that not even its own inhabitants know. This list will be a mix of history, cultural facts, and strange stories that’ll blow your mind.
On August 23, 1893 New York City was hit with a devastating category two hurricane, and it changed New York City forever, physically speaking. A one mile long island that was once called “Hog Island” located near Long Island was never seen again due to the massive storm. According to Nicholas Coch, professor of Coastal Geology at Queens College, this is the only instance of an entire island vanishing due to a hurricane.

A 16 Year Old Subway Conductor

Yes, you read that correctly. A teenager from Brooklyn pretended to be a conductor, and got to drive a train for three hours before getting caught. This story is Ferris Bueller’s Day Off on steroids. The best part is that he only got caught because he made a sharp turn that triggered the emergency break, and he couldn’t reset it. Had this not happened, he may have driven this train all day. Unless you’re properly trained and have been hired to do so, we strongly urge you not to add “drive a train” to your list of things to do in New York City, as this incident was on the darker side of New York Travel.

The Howard Stern Bill

You may be doubting the legitimacy here, but I assure you, this is a real Bill. Believe it or not, Howard Stern ran for Governor of New York in 1994, promising to limit roadwork to night hours, making New York Travel easier. Stern didn’t win, but apparently someone liked his idea. It was signed into law and named The Howard Stern Bill after he who originally conceived the idea.

It’s the Most Linguistically Diverse City on Earth

Some call New York City the intellectual hub of the Earth, and the sentiment is totally understandable. Business is conducted here by people from hundreds of cultural backgrounds. As many as 800 languages are spoken in New York City, making it the most linguistically diverse city on the planet.

That’s right! These NYC attractions, often visited by a variety of locals, tourists, and New York City bus tours get some of the most foot traffic in the city, and they used to be cemeteries! Washington Square Park alone contains over 20,000 bodies. Most of these cemeteries closed in the 1800’s, and the parks we know and love were built right on top.

Sidewalk Gold Mining

An NYC local and “city miner,” Raffi Stepanian has mined the cracks in the sidewalks of New York city for gold. Many would say that it’s a useless endeavor, but those people would be wrong. In just one week’s time, this man can sometimes make up to $600!
These are only six of the hundreds of bizarre facts about this great city and fun to keep in mind on your New York travel. In the city that never sleeps, there’s bound to be a few shocking stories and facts here and there. This is one of the strangest, yet iconic cities on Earth, and it certainly produces a lot of buzz that is enjoyed immensely by the rest of the world.